Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in Hong Kong. So much so that it’s more of a surprise when my patient’s blood tests return showing sufficiency. There are a few reasons for this high level of deficiency that we are going to cover in the article. One of the main reasons Vitamin D is so important is the variety of functions it performs in the body. A key … [Read more...]
FIR Episode 45: Neuroinflammation – its symptoms and causes.
Neuroinflammation is one of the clearest connections between the gut, brain, and immune system. Neuroinflammation is a broad term for an inflammatory response in the brain or the spinal cord. There could be a different name for neuroinflammation - a hot brain. Learn more about how the immune system uses inflammation to activate and direct itself to critical areas … [Read more...]
What is neuroinflammation, its symptoms and its causes?
Neuroinflammation is a broad term for an inflammatory response in the brain or the spinal cord.[1] I have a different name for it—a hot brain. One of most people’s first experiences of neuroinflammation is when they get the flu. When we get sick, the immune system uses inflammation to mobilise or activate its different components to respond to the … [Read more...]
FIR Episode 44: Three steps to get your IBS under control.
IBS can take over your day and hijack your mind in such a short time. I did a radio spot on RTHK national radio here in Hong Kong, where we introduced how it can affect people. To explain the context of how it affects people, consider the following question: Can you imagine feeling progressively more unwell with every meal you eat, every day, for months or years? It … [Read more...]
Article: What steps to take when your IBS is out of control?
IBS can get out of control, take over your day and hijack your mind in such a short time. I did a radio spot on RTHK national radio here in Hong Kong, where we introduced how IBS can affect people. To explain the context of how it affects people, I asked the following question: Can you imagine feeling progressively more unwell with every meal you eat, every day, for … [Read more...]
FIR Episode 43: Melatonin for IBS and Depression?
In this episode of Free and Inspired radio, discover how Melatonin works in the body. For example, find out how it interacts with other hormones such as cortisol, some things you didn’t know (Melatonin and IBS?!) and, of course, some guidelines on how to take it. Melatonin use is rising sharply post-pandemic and is often polarising in its effects. Some find … [Read more...]
Article: Hydrogen Sulfide and SIBO – Why hasn’t your treatment worked yet?
Hydrogen sulfide can often be the missing link for people who have treated their SIBO but haven't seen their symptoms resolve. This article will help you understand this gas a little better and what steps to take to see if it's appropriate to you. So you’ve been through the biphasic diet to fix your IBS, SIBO and gut health issues and have worked hard to get to the … [Read more...]
FIR Episode 42: Hydrogen sulphide and SIBO symptoms that won’t budge
In this Free and Inspired radio episode, find out if hydrogen sulphide is the missing link if your SIBO breath test comes back clear, but you still have IBS symptoms. You’ve been through the biphasic diet to fix your SIBO and gut health issues and have worked hard to get to the retest to see how things have gone. You feel better than you did when you started. However, the … [Read more...]
FIR Episode 41: Is coffee good for you or not?
Is coffee good for you? In this Free and Inspired radio episode we're going to answer that question. Most people think they should give it up especially when it’s time to change something about their health. But what if, contrary to popular belief, it’s healthier than you think? Finnish people, on average, consume around four cups daily. This daily amount can increase … [Read more...]
FIR Episode 40: Herbs and Supplements for Poor Sleep
Although the prevalence of insomnia in Hong Kong is high, out of four thousand five hundred people surveyed, only forty per cent of adults and ten per cent of children and teenagers sought help to fix it. Let alone tried herbs or supplements for sleep. That’s sixty per cent of people, or six out of ten, experiencing less than optimal sleep in Hong Kong. This deficit … [Read more...]
Article: Is coffee good for you?
Most people think they should stop drinking coffee. In my clinic, it belongs to the holy triad of things people think they should cut down or quit when they aren’t feeling optimal. It’s either red meat, alcohol or coffee that gets the chop if things are going well. Contrary to my article on alcohol (spoiler alert: it’s not good for you), I’m here to offer a somewhat … [Read more...]
Article: Poor sleep – A beginner’s guide to herbs and supplements to help.
It’s fair to say over the last fifteen years, I’ve used herbal and nutritional medicine to treat many people who have poor sleep, especially so in Hong Kong. You only need to experience poor sleep to understand just how the quality of your day falls apart after just one or two bad nights. In fact, nearly forty per cent of adults in the US with insomnia have either tried … [Read more...]
Article: H.pylori affects half the world, how about you?
H.pylori infection has affected up to 4.4 billion individuals worldwide, based on a study in 2015.[1] Regionally, prevalence is around forty-five per cent in China[2] and over fifty per cent in South Korea. Estimates in Hong Kong have one in two people infected acutely or previously as a child.[3] This prevalence rate differs globally, with rates around forty per … [Read more...]
FIR Episode 39: Half the world has H.pylori, do you?
Based on a study in 2015, H.pylori infection has affected up to 4.4 billion individuals worldwide. How come so many people have had this, and I’ve never heard of it? There are a few reasons. Most of the time, the higher prevalence rates are in developing countries, with the African continent estimated to have up to an eighty per cent infection … [Read more...]
Article: Are you getting enough protein for longevity in 2022?
Saying dietary protein intake is critical for longevity and quality of life seems a little dramatic. However, protein is considered the most fundamental nutrient for animals and humans.[1] Even the English word originates from the Greek word “proteios”, meaning prime or primary.[2] And its deficiency can cause your body to change in a way that can be difficult to … [Read more...]